Top cyclists arrive in Montreal for road world championships

Montreal is hosting the UCI Road Cycling World Championships from Sept. 20 to 27, bringing more than 1,000 riders from more than 75 countries to race across the city’s streets, Mount Royal and the old port. The event includes 13 races for elite, junior and under23 athletes, with Canada fielding a strong team. Quebec rider Magdeleine Vallieres Mill will race on home soil after winning last year’s elite women’s road race, while veteran Michael Woods is returning from retirement to compete in front of a home crowd. City officials say the championships are expected to draw more than half a million spectators and a large global TV audience. The event has also prompted road work and cycling infrastructure upgrades across Montreal, along with temporary closures on parts of the route.